Apple Reportedly Acquires Personal Assistant App Cue for $40M

Multiple press outlets, including TechCrunch, are reporting that Apple has acquired Cue for approximately $40M (note: Apple Insider says this number is reportedly at least $35M).

In addition, The Next Web reported early this morning that Cue announced on its website that it was “no longer available” , posting this message:

We appreciate all of the support from you, our users, as Cue has grown over the last few years. However, the Cue service is no longer available.

Cue Premium users who registered through the website will receive a prorated refund. Cue Premium users registered though the iPhone App can request a refund through iTunes. In accordance with our privacy policy, your data and personal information will not be stored or transferred; it has been permanently deleted.

We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause you. It’s been an incredible journey that wouldn’t have been possible without your loyal support.

Our sincerest thanks,– The Cue Team

Cue is a personal assistant app that reminds users of their appointments and helps them with other tasks, such as when to leave for a meeting according to current traffic and when to check in for a flight. Cue integrated with user email and social networks to create a single screen schedule each day, which also included weather in the user’s area.

TechCrunch suspects that Apple has made the acquisition to compete with Google Now, a component of the Google Search app that is currently available for free on Android and iOS. The Google Now app also allows users to see their schedule for the day at a glance, while also alerting them to news of interest, such as storm warnings, top headlines, and nearby events.

The personal assistant app space has continued to grow in the last year, welcoming a variety of apps that promise to provide automated and personalized service for its users, instead of relying on actual personal assistant employees.